Surah 73. Al-Muzzammil, Ayah 20
| ۞ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِنْ ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ۚ عَلِمَ أَنْ لَنْ تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ۚ عَلِمَ أَنْ سَيَكُونُ مِنْكُمْ مَرْضَىٰ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ ۙ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا ۚ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ |
| Transliteration | : | 'inna rabb -ka yaclam 'anna -ka taqom adnaa min thuluthai al- layl wa- nis.f -hu wa- thuluth -hu wa- t.aa'ifah min 'alladhena maca -ka wa- 'allaah yuqaddir al- layl wa- an- nahaar calima 'an lan tuh.s.o -hu fa- taaba calay -kum fa- iqra'o maa tayassara min al- qur'aan calima 'an sa- yakon min -kum mard.aa wa- 'aakharon yad.ribon fe al- 'ard. yabtaghon min fad.l 'allaah wa- 'aakharon yuqaatilon fe sabel 'allaah fa- iqra'o maa tayassara min -hu wa- aqemo as.- s.alaah wa- 'aato az- zakaah wa- aqrid.o 'allaah qard.(an) h.asan(an) wa- maa tuqaddimo li- anfus -kum min khayr tajido -hu cinda 'allaah huwa khayr(an) wa- acz.am 'ajr(an) wa- istaghfir 'allaah 'inna 'allaah ghafor rah.em |
| Pickthall | : | Lo! thy Lord knoweth how thou keepest vigil sometimes nearly two thirds of the night, or (sometimes) half or a third thereof, as do a party of those with thee. Allah measureth the night and the day. He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mercy. Recite, then, of the Qur'an that which is easy for you. He knoweth that there are sick folk among you, while others travel in the land in search of Allah's bounty, and others (still) are fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite of it that which is easy (for you), and establish worship and pay the poor due and (so) lend unto Allah a goodly loan. Whatsoever good ye send before you for your souls, ye will surely find it with Allah, better and greater in the recompense. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. |
| Asad | : | BEHOLD, [O Prophet,] thy Sustainer knows that thou keenest awake [in prayer] nearly two-thirds of the night, or one-half of it, or a third of it, together with some of those who follow thee.11 And God, who determines the measure of night and day, is aware that you would never grudge it:12 and therefore He turns towards you in His grace. Recite, then, as much of the Qur'an as you may do with ease. He knows that in time there will be among you sick people, and others who will go about the land in search of God's bounty, and others who will fight in God's cause.13 Recite, then, [only] as much of it as you may do with ease, and be constant in prayer, and spend in charity,14 and [thus] lend unto God a goodly loan: for whatever good deed you may offer up in your own behalf, you shall truly find it with God - yea, better, and richer in reward. And [always] seek God's forgiveness: behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace! |
| Malik | : | Surely your Rabb knows that you stand in prayers nearly two- thirds of the night, and sometimes one-half or one-third of it, so do others among your companions. Allah has the measures of the night and the day. He knows that you will not be able to keep it up, so He has turned to you in Mercy, therefore, read from the Qur'an as much as you easily can. He knows that there may be some sick people among you, and some others who travel through the land to seek Allah's bounty; and yet some others fighting for the cause of Allah. Therefore, read as much of the Qur'an as you easily can. Establish the Salah (five time daily prayers) and pay the Zakah (poor due), and give to Allah a goodly loan. Whatever good you will send forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah, which will be much better and greater in reward. Seek Allah's forgiveness, surely Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | The Lord doth know that thou standest forth (to prayer) nigh two-thirds of the night or half the night or a third of the night and so doth a party of those with thee. But Allah doth appoint Night and Day in due measure. He knoweth that ye are unable to keep count thereof. So He hath turned to you (in mercy): read ye therefore of the Qur'an as much as may be easy for you. He knoweth that there may be (some) among you in ill-health; others travelling through the land seeking of Allah's bounty; yet others fighting in Allah's Cause. Read ye therefore as much of the Qur'an as may be easy (for you); and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and loan to Allah a Beautiful Loan. And whatever good ye send forth for your souls Ye shall find it in Allah's presence yea better and greater in Reward. And seek ye the Grace of Allah: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. 5771 5772 5773 5774 5775 5776 5777 |
Note - 11Lit, "of those who are with thee". With this concluding
passage, the discourse returns to the theme of the
opening verses, namely, the great spiritual value of
praying at night.
|
Note - 12Lit., "count it", i.e., the length of your vigil.
|
Note - 13This reference to "fighting in God's cause" has induced
many commentators to assume that the whole of verse {20}
was revealed at Medina, that is, years after the rest of
the surah: for, the principle of "fighting in God's
cause" (jihad) was introduced only after the Prophet's
hijrah from Mecca to Medina. This assumption must,
however, be dismissed as unwarranted. Although there is
no doubt that jihad was first sanctioned during the
Medina period, the sentence in question is clearly
expressed in the future tense: "in time there will be"
(sayakun) - and must, therefore, as Ibn Rathir points
out, be understood as a prediction of future
circumstances. With all this, the above passage stresses
the necessity of avoiding all exaggeration even in one's
devotions.
|
Note - 14For an explanation of the term zakah - of which the above
is the earliest Qur'anic instance see surah {2}, note
[34].
|
Note - 5771Cf., above, lxxiii. 24. The Prophet, and a zealous band
of his disciples, were often up, two-thirds of the night,
or a half, or a third, rejecting sleep and giving
themselves up to Prayer and Praise and the reading of the
Qur-an. They are told that this was too severe a tax on
them, especially if their health was affected, or they
were on a journey, or they were striving, with might and
main, in other ways, for the cause of Allah. See die
fines following.
|
Note - 5772The usual meaning taken is that the counting of the exact
hours of night and day may not be possible for ordinary
people, in order to determine exactly the half, or the
third, or the two-thirds of a night. The length of the
night and the day varies every day of the solar year, and
the precise hour of midnight can only be determined by
exact observation in clear skies or by chronometers,
which is not possible for everyone. But I understand it
in a wider meaning. Allah fixes night and day in due
proportions; for rest and work, and according to seasonal
variations. For prayer and praise no meticulous
observations of that kind are necessary or possible.
Allah's service can be done in many ways as detailed
below. But we must give some time to devotion, as may be
most easy and convenient to us, in various circumstances
of health, travel, and the performance of various duties.
|
Note - 5773The reading of the Qur-an here is a part of Prayer and
religious devotion. This is not to be made into an
obsession or a burden. Cf. xx. 2: "We have not sent down
the Qur-an to thee to be an occasion for thy distress."
We must do it whole-mindedly, but not by formal
mechanical computations.
|
Note - 5774This refers to Jihad. The better opinion is that this
particular verse was revealed in Madinah, long after the
greater part of the Sura. The reference, further on, to
canonical Prayers and regular Charity (Zakat), points to
the same conclusion.
|
Note - 5775Cf. ii. 2456, and n. 276, where the meaning of "a
Beautiful Loan" is explained. See also lvii. 18. The
"Beautiful Loan" should be that of our own souls. We
should expect no retums in kind, for that is not
possible. But the reward we shall find with Allah will be
infinitely greater and nobler. Cf. the biblical phrase,
"Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt. vi.
20).
|
Note - 5776Any good that we do raises our own spiritual status and
dignity. We must not think that when we speak of Allah's
service or Allah's Cause, we are doing anything for His
benefit: He is independent of all needs whatsoever.
|
Note - 5777This emphasizes the need of Allah's Grace. Whatever good
we do, our own merits are comparatively small. Allah's
Grace must lift us up and blot out our shortcomings. Even
in piety there may be an arrogance which may become a
sin. We should always seek Allah's Mercy in all humility.
|
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Lit, "of those who are with thee". With this concluding passage, the discourse returns to the theme of the opening verses, namely, the great spiritual value of praying at night. |
| |
This reference to "fighting in God's cause" has induced many commentators to assume that the whole of verse {20} was revealed at Medina, that is, years after the rest of the surah: for, the principle of "fighting in God's cause" (jihad) was introduced only after the Prophet's hijrah from Mecca to Medina. This assumption must, however, be dismissed as unwarranted. Although there is no doubt that jihad was first sanctioned during the Medina period, the sentence in question is clearly expressed in the future tense: "in time there will be" (sayakun) - and must, therefore, as Ibn Rathir points out, be understood as a prediction of future circumstances. With all this, the above passage stresses the necessity of avoiding all exaggeration even in one's devotions. |
| |
Cf., above, lxxiii. 24. The Prophet, and a zealous band of his disciples, were often up, two-thirds of the night, or a half, or a third, rejecting sleep and giving themselves up to Prayer and Praise and the reading of the Qur-an. They are told that this was too severe a tax on them, especially if their health was affected, or they were on a journey, or they were striving, with might and main, in other ways, for the cause of Allah. See die fines following. |
| |
The usual meaning taken is that the counting of the exact hours of night and day may not be possible for ordinary people, in order to determine exactly the half, or the third, or the two-thirds of a night. The length of the night and the day varies every day of the solar year, and the precise hour of midnight can only be determined by exact observation in clear skies or by chronometers, which is not possible for everyone. But I understand it in a wider meaning. Allah fixes night and day in due proportions; for rest and work, and according to seasonal variations. For prayer and praise no meticulous observations of that kind are necessary or possible. Allah's service can be done in many ways as detailed below. But we must give some time to devotion, as may be most easy and convenient to us, in various circumstances of health, travel, and the performance of various duties. |
| |
The reading of the Qur-an here is a part of Prayer and religious devotion. This is not to be made into an obsession or a burden. Cf. xx. 2: "We have not sent down the Qur-an to thee to be an occasion for thy distress." We must do it whole-mindedly, but not by formal mechanical computations. |
| |
This refers to Jihad. The better opinion is that this particular verse was revealed in Madinah, long after the greater part of the Sura. The reference, further on, to canonical Prayers and regular Charity (Zakat), points to the same conclusion. |
| |
Cf. ii. 2456, and n. 276, where the meaning of "a Beautiful Loan" is explained. See also lvii. 18. The "Beautiful Loan" should be that of our own souls. We should expect no retums in kind, for that is not possible. But the reward we shall find with Allah will be infinitely greater and nobler. Cf. the biblical phrase, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt. vi. 20). |
| |
Any good that we do raises our own spiritual status and dignity. We must not think that when we speak of Allah's service or Allah's Cause, we are doing anything for His benefit: He is independent of all needs whatsoever. |
| |
This emphasizes the need of Allah's Grace. Whatever good we do, our own merits are comparatively small. Allah's Grace must lift us up and blot out our shortcomings. Even in piety there may be an arrogance which may become a sin. We should always seek Allah's Mercy in all humility. |
